Wagagai gold refinery closed over suspected Covid-19 cases

Busia, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Wagagai gold mining refinery in Busia district has temporally closed and over 300 workers sent home over four suspected cases of Covid-19.

Wagagai gold refinery covers over 300 acres of land in the four villages of Alupe, Amonikakine, Akipenet, and Amagoro in Mawero parish in Buteba sub-county.

Dr Mathias Wabwire Panyako, the Busia District Health Officer says that they received reports that four managers at the refinery who are Chinese Nationals developed Covid-19 like symptoms.

Panyako says that they opted to put all the refinery management under self-isolation within their residential houses and also send the workers home. He says they have taken samples from the suspects for testing.

John Rex Achila, the Busia Resident District Commissioner-RDC, also chairman district Covid-19 taskforce says that they are waiting for the results from the laboratory. He says that they plan to embark on sensitization and conduct rapid testing of the community neighbouring the refinery.

Godfrey Yeseri Isabirye, the overall supervisor at Wagagai gold mining refinery says that they opted to send home the workers and temporarily close for one week as they study the situation and curtail spread of the disease among the workers.

Completion of the US$ 200M refinery is expected in 2025 and will produce 1,000 kilograms of gold.

*****

URN